


At Ease

by Cephy



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Best Friends, Celebrations, M/M, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-19
Updated: 2011-03-19
Packaged: 2017-10-17 02:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/172104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cephy/pseuds/Cephy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the one-year anniversary of Aurnion's founding, Flynn waits for one particular guest to arrive at the celebration.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Ease

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laylah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Homeward Tide](https://archiveofourown.org/works/31310) by [Laylah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laylah/pseuds/Laylah). 



The celebration was a great idea, one that Flynn supported right from the moment it was proposed. There were so many good reasons to showcase the success of Aurnion, not the least of which was to make sure everyone knew what people-- both Guild _and_ Empire-- could do together when they tried. So when the decision to go forward with the event was made official, Flynn set out to see that it all went as smoothly as possible. He wrote the notices himself, and gave them to his Knights to post around the world. He carefully penned out personal invitations to some of the more open-minded nobles, and of course to His Highness Ioder and Princess Estellise.

He didn't send one to Yuri. Oh, he would be the first to argue that Yuri and his friends had been a vital part of making Aurnion the success it was, and that they deserved all due recognition for their contributions. But he knew Yuri, and he knew how contrary Yuri could be, and he suspected that being specifically _asked_ might just make Yuri stay away, instead. He'd say he was worried Flynn would make some big deal out of him-- tempting, actually-- or give some other excuse. But really, Flynn just thought he hated to do what he was told, at least not without a fight.

Yuri would see the notices, and he would come. He knew what this place meant, not just for Flynn but for everyone. He'd be there-- so long as Flynn didn't give him an excuse to do otherwise.

The weeks immediately leading up to the big day were frantic, filled with extra chores on top of the usual duty roster. Flynn's Knights were kept busy-- mostly setting up tents for the visitors who weren't going to fit in the Inn, and running extra patrols to keep the area well clear of curious monsters drawn in by the commotion, but also helping out with the cleaning and decorating when necessary. Every time someone scratched a task off the list, it seemed a hundred more things came up in its place. Flynn didn't sleep much during those weeks, except when he couldn't really help it anymore. It left him tired, but it was a good kind of tired, a satisfied kind, especially when he dragged himself out of bed again and saw the town-- _his_ town, in a way, his and Yuri's-- showing off in its finest clothes.

When the morning of the celebration rolled around, Flynn made sure to be out on the streets in the thick of it all, with his uniform cleaned and pressed and his armour polished to a shine. It was heartening how many people-- Guild members, even-- smiled a greeting at him as he passed. The weather was perfect, the decorations looked fantastic, the air was filled with music and laughter and the smell of cooking food. They couldn't have done better if they'd tried.

He looked, of course, scanning the crowds and telling himself he wasn't. He shook hands and ran errands and always kept an eye out for that one familiar shape strolling through the crowds. He strained his ears through the music for the whistle-roar of Ba'ul's wings. The sense of _waiting_ drew him tighter and tighter with each hour that passed.

When he heard the familiar sound of Repede's bark, all of that waiting tension just kind of popped, leaving him momentarily dizzy. The smile on his face as he turned was probably a little too wide, but he couldn't seem to help it.

"You're late," he said when Yuri was close enough.

"Yeah, well, my invitation must have got lost in the mail," Yuri shot back. "You're lucky I showed up at all."

Flynn almost considered feeling guilty over that, but Yuri's expression wasn't asking for an apology so he just shook his head instead. "I'm glad you made it," Flynn said softly. He reached for Yuri's hand and squeezed, apology and welcome in one, and was warmed through when Yuri squeezed back.

It was just barely dark. "Come on," Flynn said, knowing what was next on the schedule. "Let's go find a good spot to watch the fireworks."

Yuri gave him that tolerant, amused look that was so familiar. "Fireworks, huh?" he said. "You never could do anything halfway."

The fireworks were-- somewhat experimental. Some of the former inhabitants of Aspio had cooked them up, though not without substantial trial and error. Though the smoke stains hadn't quite come off the east walls despite repeated scrubbing, he had been guaranteed that the grass, at least, would grow back soon. And Flynn had seen the final tests, the brilliant arcs of light streaming across the sky, so he knew it was going to be worth it.

"It's good to see you, Flynn." Yuri leaned in close, bracing his arms and tipping his chin sideways in obvious invitation.

"Yeah," Flynn agreed. "You too. It always is." He let himself take that invitation, resting his head on Yuri's shoulder, tucked in close and comfortable. He hesitated before continuing, but the lingering mood of the day had the words out before he could talk himself out of saying them. "I miss you, you know," he confessed, "when you're off having adventures on the other side of the world."

"No matter how far I go," Yuri said quietly, "you know I'll always come find you again. You give me something to come home to."

Flynn's pretty sure the smile that stretched across his face was more than a little silly, but he couldn't help it. "Is that right?" Just like he couldn't help but lean in and meet Yuri halfway. Yuri's kisses were always half a challenge, just like everything he did; Flynn grinned and did his best to meet it.

The first of the fireworks shot upwards with a whistle and a crack, but Yuri stayed right where he is. Flynn wasn't inclined to argue. It was a few minutes before they pulled apart.

"You have somewhere to stay tonight?" Flynn asked, arching one eyebrow in studied innocence. He just barely managed to hold the expression while Yuri rolled his eyes.

"You know me," Yuri said with dry sarcasm, "I'll just throw down a mat and be fine."

Flynn tsked and shook his head. "I'd be a poor host if I left you to the mercy of the weather. You can stay with me; I have some extra space."

Yuri chuckled; the sound sent an anticipatory shiver down Flynn's spine. "Do you, now."

Flynn hummed an affirmative, leaning in close enough to feel Yuri's breath on his lips. "I'm going to have to insist, actually."

Yuri's arm slid up around Flynn's neck, deceptively loose. "All right, all right, Commandant, no need to get pushy." That smirk he was wearing seemed to imply just the opposite. "We'll do it your way."

"That'll be a first," Flynn said, and then for one panicked second he wondered if he shouldn't have. It was too much like the things he'd said in the past, the things that came out bitter and accusatory whether he wanted them to or not.

But Yuri threw his head back and laughed, taking it exactly the way Flynn had intended it, and that felt good. It felt more than good, it felt fantastic, because there had been a lot of years when being so-- so _easy_ with each other had been impossible. But this was the way they _should_ be, and it made Flynn warm all over when he thought that maybe, maybe this time they could make it last.

Yuri stood, a shadow against the sky, occasionally thrown into even darker contrast by the bursts of the fireworks. He brushed off his trousers and paused there, waiting, until Flynn pushed up to join him.


End file.
